The Ebola Gulf A virus – aka the Clench – that recently infected Gotham City (during CONTAGION) wasn’t stopped, after all. The Clench recently returned as a mutated, more aggressive retrovirus, taking the life of the previously-infected Mayor Armand Krol (during DEADBOLT). Commissioner James Gordon has given Batman the update, just as Robin – Tim Drake, who was also infected – returns to the Batcave. Is this the end for the Boy Wonder?
Azrael reveals the existence of a centuries-long Three-Way War between the Order of St Dumas (his former-associates), the Vatican and a mystery man known only as ‘The Immortal’ over an ancient journal. Could this hold both the origin and the cure for the Clench? For answers, Batman must head to the Sudan…
Crossover: Legacy is a standard, multi-chapter crossover event running through the Bat-Family titles.
Must-Reads: Issues marked with a ✔are essential to the story.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- CONTAGION (1996) – The Clench Virus hits Gotham City
- DEADBOLT (1996) – The Clench returns
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53
- ✔ Batman #533
- ✔ Detective Comics #700
- Catwoman #36
- ✔ Robin #32
- ✔ Batman: Shadow of the Bat #54
- ✔ Batman #534
- ✔ Detective Comics #701
- ✔ Robin #33
- ✔ Detective Comics #702
SUPPORT THE OMNIVERSE COMICS GUIDE today and unlock bonus features! Gain access to Exclusive Entries, all of our Trackable Digital Reading Orders and Extended Video Content. Navigate your way through multiple universes with us, your gateway to any and every comic book universe!
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53 Robin now knows the Clench could reinfect him at any time, only giving him hours to live. Azrael reveals the cure could be hidden in the Sudanese Desert. Bruce Wayne grants Lucius Fox full authority over WayneTech. District Attorney Seth Voder reports the resurgence of the Clench to the Penguin. Batman sends Robin to ask Huntress to look after Gotham City while they’re gone… |
| ✔ | Batman #533 In Gotham, the Penguin moves his mayoral candidate Seth Voder into position. Batman, Robin and Nightwing arrive in the Sudan, take out the Tauren guards and enter the underground cavern. They overcome the maze and find their foe’s dig site. They’re surrounded by warriors and are greeted by a familiar face… 1st appearance: Seth Voder |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #700 Ra’s al Ghul – leader of the League of Assassins – stands revealed as the creator of Ebola Gulf A using the ancient Wheel of Plagues. It was stolen by the Order of Dumas who accidentally unleashed it on Gotham. Now he intends on unlocking all of the Wheel’s secrets. Ra’s gives the kill order as he departs. Batman and Robin are separated from Nightwing as they escape. Ra’s demands that his daughter Talia al Ghul marry his new ally – his warrior ‘Ubu’ with the horned mask – to give him an heir. Batman and Robin fall into a trap set by Ubu and almost drown. Nightwing is defeated by Ra’s al Ghul in combat, but Batman and Robin arrive before the killing blow can land. Ra’s, Talia and Ubu escape via helicopter, with Ubu unmasking as Bane. Underground, the tunnels are flooding, filling the cell Catwoman is trapped in… |
| Catwoman #36 Catwoman frees herself from her flooded cell, then helps Brother Umberto scape his. She only frees Hellhound to help make their escape. Hellhound betrays them when they reach the surface, only to be soundly defeated by Catwoman. She heads for civilisation with Umberto. Alfred Pennyworth picks up Batman, Robin and Nightwing in a jet and they renew their search for Ra’s al Ghul. Robin and the injured Nightwing follow a trail to Paris while Batman heads to Edinburgh. Catwoman arranges for the Collector’s arrest. | |
| ✔ | Robin #32 (pp.1-22) Arriving in Paris, Robin turns to Henri Ducard for help. Nightwing and Robin find Ra’s al Ghul’s agents and realise the Louvre is the target for the new virus’ release. Ducard kills the remaining agents while Nightwing shuts down the device that releases the virus. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #54 Batman confronts Ra’s al Ghul’s agents in Edinburgh Castle. With help from the locals, Batman stops them from unleashing the virus in Scotland. Under Oracle’s advice, Batman follows the trail to Calcutta… |
| ✔ | Robin #32 (p.22) Robin and Nightwing take a plane, arriving back in Gotham… |
| ✔ | Batman #534 Batman meets Lady Shiva in Calcutta. The League of Assassins intend on releasing the virus the Hooghly River, but Batman and Shiva get to it in time. |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #701 Batman is back in Gotham when Bane and the League of Assassins target the Aventine Casino the day before it opens. Batman causes a gas explosion which burns the virus away. Bane reveals his plan to steal Ra’s al Ghul’s empire, but Batman soundly defeats him before he has a chance. Bane drifts away unconscious on a wooden platform. Robin, Nightwing and Huntress head to Ra’s al Ghul’s yacht to access his systems and obtain the cure… |
| ✔ | Robin #33 Robin gets to Ra’s al Ghul’s mainframe and sends the details to Oracle. Nightwing and Huntress flirt while almost falling prey to Ra’s and Talia al Ghul. An assassin’s attempt to destroy the link to Oracle’s computer causes a chain reaction. Robin gets Nightwing and Huntress off the boat as it explodes. Near Gotham Harbour, detectives Renee Montoya and Harvey Bullock find bodies floating in the water and recognise them as criminals from Blüdhaven… Also see A KNIGHT IN BLÜDHAVEN |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #702 Gotham City is under curfew while the vaccinations are administered. Batman finds out how many Gotham citizens were killed by the Clench. Gotham City Police Department deal with bodies and suspects from the yacht, the casino and Blüdhaven. The surviving minions of Ra’s al Ghul cause a blackout, buthe GCPD take them down. Jim Gordon and Sarah Essen reconcile their differences. |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Batman: Bane of the Demon #1-4 (1998) The circumstances of how Bane became an ally of Ra’s al Ghul are finally revealed. | |
| ✔ | Batman: Bane #1 (1997) Bane’s fate is revealed, with Batman, Nightwing and Robin learning of his whereabouts immediately after he floated into Gotham Harbour; Batman and Bane have a rematch. | |
| ✔ | Nightwing #1-3 (1996) Nightwing moves to Blüdhaven and investigates the source of the bodies washing up in Gotham City. | A KNIGHT IN BLÜDHAVEN |
| Detective Comics #703 (1996) Huntress continues to vie for Batman’s approval; Robin has faith in Huntress and hopes she’ll join the Bat-Family someday. | THE FINAL NIGHT | |
| ✔ | Azrael #29-30 (1997) Talia returns, seeking help from Azrael; Ra’s al Ghul also returns with plans for Azrael to marry his daughter, only to change his mind when DNA tests reveal Azrael’s strange secret. | |
| JLA #16-17 (1998) Batman nominates Huntress for membership in the Justice League as a sign of faith and in the hope of curbing her more aggressive methods. | PROMETHEUS UNBOUND | |
| JLA #43-46 (2000) Batman next faces Ra’s al Ghul when the Dark Knight’s own contingency plans are used against the Justice League. | THE TOWER OF BABEL | |
| Nightwing #38-39 (1999-2000) Nightwing and Oracle continue to get closer in their ongoing, slowly burning relationship. | NO MAN’S LAND | |
| ✔ | Birds of Prey #26 (2000) Now knowing he’s capable of feeling passion, Bane pursues the affections of Black Canary. | |
| Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1 (2004) Hellhound returns, employed as a bodyguard to crime boss Lew Moxon; Hellhound is killed by rival bodyguard Philo Zeiss. | WAR GAMES |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Batman: Legacy vol.1 | Batman #533 Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53 Catwoman #33-35 Detective Comics #697-700 Robin #31 |
| Batman: Legacy vol.2 | Batman #534 Batman: Bane (1997) #1 Batman: Bane of the Demon #1-4 Batman: Shadow of the Bat #54 Catwoman #36 Detective Comics #701-702 Robin #32-33 |
| Batman: Legacy (1996) | Batman #533-534 Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53-54 Catwoman #35-36 Detective Comics #699-702 Robin #31-33 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2024
Leave a Reply